Homeland Security and Emergency Management

Today, it is more important than ever that all of us be prepared for possible emergencies. Natural disasters or other disasters can strike suddenly, but a disaster won’t overcome our community if we are prepared together.

Launched in February of 2003, Ready is a national public service advertising campaign to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies, including natural and man-made disasters. The goal of the campaign is to get the public involved and ultimately to increase the level of basic preparedness across the nation.

The Ready campaign makes an emergency preparedness resolution easy to keep by recommending families consider these three ideas when making a plan: who to call, where to meet and what to pack. We hope you will join us in this effort. To help assist you, please find the toolkit with helpful resources at www.ready.gov.

Residents in Addison are urged to prepare their families, homes, and businesses for potential disasters. The Addison Police Department offers free training in Community Emergency Response (CERTS).

Join us. Get trained! Contact the Crime Prevention Unit at (630) 543-3080 to find out when classes are being held.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESSMake a Family Emergency Plan: Identify potential disaster scenarios and practice what to do if you have time to evacuate. Identify an out-of-town contact person that each family member will contact in case of emergency.

Build an Emergency Supply Kit: Whether evacuating or sheltering in place, a disaster supply kit could save lives. Backpacks, duffle bags, or plastic bins make easy to carry containers. The pack should contain non-perishable food items, extra batteries, flashlight, radio, diapers, infant formula, medication, and one gallon of water per person per day.

Get Trained: Training can save lives! The Addison Police Department offers free training in the Community Emergency Response Training (CERTS) program which is an eight-week course. For more information, contact the Crime Prevention Unit at (630) 543-3080.